Mandevilla plant named ‘TVMD303’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant named ‘TVMD303’, characterized by its upright to broadly spreading plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; early and freely flowering habit; large light pink-colored flowers with yellowish orange-colored throats; and good container and garden performance.

Botanical designation: Mandevilla sanderi.

Cultivar denomination: ‘TVMD303’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Mandevilla plant, botanically known as Mandevilla sanderi, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘TVMD303’.

The new Mandevilla plant is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Sao Paulo, Brazil. The objective of the breeding program is to develop new compact and freely flowering Mandevilla plants with large attractive flowers that resist fading and good garden performance.

The new Mandevilla plant originated from a cross-pollination in September, 2016 in Sao Paulo, Brazil of a proprietary breeding selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code name TVMD008, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary breeding selection of Mandevilla sanderi identified as code name TVMD145, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Mandevilla plant was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant from within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination grown in a controlled greenhouse environment in Sao Paulo, Brazil in July, 2018.

Asexual reproduction of the new Mandevilla plant by terminal stem cuttings in a controlled environment in Sao Paulo, Brazil since December, 2018 has shown that the unique features of this new Mandevilla plant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Mandevilla have not been observed under all possible combinations of environmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperature and light intensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘TVMD303’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘TVMD303’ as a new and distinct Mandevilla plant:

-   -   1. Upright to broadly spreading plant habit.     -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.     -   3 Early and freely flowering habit.     -   4. Large light pink-colored flowers with yellowish orange-         colored throats.     -   5. Good container and garden performance.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the female parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the female parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have larger flowers than plants         of the female parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have lighter pink-colored         flowers than plants of the female parent selection.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can be compared to plants of the male parent selection. Plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants of the male parent selection in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Mandevilla have smaller flowers than plants         of the male parent selection.     -   2. Plants of the new Mandevilla have light pink-colored flowers         with yellowish orange-colored throats whereas plants of the male         parent selection have white-colored flowers.

Plants of the new Mandevilla can also be compared to plants of Mandevilla sanderi ‘SummerStar Pink’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new Mandevilla differ primarily from plants ‘SummerStar Pink’ in flower color as flowers of plants of the new Mandevilla are light pink in color with yellowish orange-colored throats whereas flowers of plants of ‘SummerStar Pink’ are reddish purple in color with pink-colored throats.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearance of the new Mandevilla plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the actual colors of the new Mandevilla plant.

The photograph is a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘TVMD303’ grown in a container.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photograph and following observations, measurements and values describe plants grown during the summer in 15-cm containers in a polyethylene-covered greenhouse in Sao Paulo, Brazil and under cultural practices typical of commercial Mandevilla production. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 20° C. to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 10° C. to 20° C. Plants were pinched three times: four weeks, six weeks and eight weeks after planting. Plants were 33 weeks old when the photograph and description were taken. In the following description, color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 2015 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Mandevilla sanderi ‘TVMD303’. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female, or seed, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number TVMD008, not patented.         -   Male, or pollen, parent.—Proprietary selection of Mandevilla             sanderi identified as code number TVMD145, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By vegetative cuttings.         -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About three weeks at             temperatures about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 20 to 25             days at temperatures about 20° C. to 35° C.         -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 25 to 30             days at temperature about 20° C. to 25° C.         -   Root description.—Thick, fleshy; typically white in color,             actual color of the roots is dependent on substrate             composition, water quality, fertilizers, substrate             temperature and physiological age of roots.         -   Rooting habit.—Low branching; medium density. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Upright to broadly spreading plant             habit; roughly broadly obovate in overall shape; moderately             vigorous growth habit and moderate growth rate.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of foliar plane.—About 30             cm.         -   Plant height, soil level to top of floral plane.—About 33             cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 27 cm.         -   Lateral branch description.—Branching habit: Moderate             branching habit, typically about two primary lateral             branches each with about two secondary lateral branches.             Length: About 12.5 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm. Internode             length: About 1.4 cm. Aspect: Primary lateral branches,             mostly upright; secondary lateral branches, about 30° from             primary branch axis. Strength: Moderately strong. Texture             and luster: Smooth, glabrous; semi-glossy; becoming woody             with development. Color, developing: Close to 144B. Color,             developed: Close to 144A; when woody, close to N199C. -   Leaf description:     -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.         -   Length.—About 6.1 cm.         -   Width.—About 4.1 cm.         -   Shape.—Ovate.         -   Apex.—Acuminate.         -   Base.—Cordate.         -   Margin.—Entire.         -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             moderately coriaceous; glossy.         -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Smooth, glabrous;             moderately coriaceous; moderately glossy.         -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.         -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 139B.             Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 144A. Fully             expanded leaves, upper surface: Close to 139A; venation,             close to 144C. Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close             to 144A; venation, close to 137A.         -   Petioles.—Length: About 1.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Strength: Moderately strong. Texture and luster, upper and             lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color,             upper surface: Close to 144A. Color, lower surface: Close to             144B. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and flowering habit.—Single salverform flowers             arranged in terminal and axillary cymes; flowers face mostly             outwardly to slightly upright; freely flowering habit with             about two fully open flowers per inflorescence and about 21             flower buds and open flowers per plant.         -   Natural flowering season.—Plants flower continuously             year-round in Brazil; plants begin flowering about 25 weeks             after planting rooted young plants.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—Individual flowers last about             ten days; flowers not persistent.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Inflorescence height.—About 13 cm.         -   Inflorescence diameter.—About 10 cm.         -   Flower buds.—Length: About 6.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.3 cm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous;             slightly to moderately glossy. Color: Distally, close to             56A; mid-section, close to 149D and proximally, close to             149C.         -   Flowers.—Appearance: Flared trumpet, corolla fused and             five-parted. Diameter: About 6.5 cm by 6.5 cm. Depth             (length): About 4.8 cm. Throat diameter: About 1 cm. Tube             length: About 1.6 cm. Tube diameter: About 3.2 mm.         -   Corolla.—Quantity and arrangement: Five petals arranged in a             single whorl; lower 50% portion of the petals are fused into             a funnelform tube. Petal length: About 2.5 cm. Petal width:             About 2.3 cm. Petal shape and appearance: Roughly unequal             and asymmetric; somewhat spatulate; slightly convex. Petal             apex: Acute. Petal margin: Entire; slightly undulate. Petal             texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,             glabrous; slightly glossy. Throat texture: Smooth, glabrous.             Tube texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: Petal, when opening             and fully opened, upper surface: Close to 62B; venation,             close to 62B; color does not change with subsequent             development. Petal, when opening and fully opened, lower             surface: Close to 62C; venation, close to 62C; color does             not change with subsequent development. Throat: Close to             14A; venation, close to 14A. Tube: Close to 145B; venation,             close to 145B.         -   Sepals.—Quantity and arrangement: Five sepals arranged in a             single whorl. Length: About 8.6 mm. Width: About 3 mm.             Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acuminate. Base: Broadly cuneate             and fused. Margin: Entire. Texture and luster, upper             surface: Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Texture and             luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; matte. Color: When             developing, upper surface: Close to 144C. When developing,             lower surface: Close to 145B. Fully developed, upper             surface: Close to 144D. Fully developed, lower surface:             Close to 145C.         -   Peduncles.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: About 1.7 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 45° from lateral branch             axis. Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately             glossy. Color: Close to 144A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 3.3 cm. Diameter: About 2.5 mm.             Strength: Strong. Aspect: About 30° from peduncle axis.             Texture and luster: Smooth, glabrous; moderately glossy.             Color: Close to 146C.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity and arrangement:             Typically five; basifixed; anthers connivent. Filament             length: About 2 mm. Filament color: Close to 145D. Anther             shape: Narrowly sagittate. Anther size: About 2.3 mm by             8.8 mm. Anther color: Close to 162B. Pollen amount:             Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 155B. Pistils: Quantity:             Typically one. Pistil length: About 2.4 cm. Style length:             About 1.9 cm. Style color: Close to 145D. Stigma diameter:             About 3.1 mm. Stigma shape: Club-shaped, pointed. Stigma             color: Close to 143B. Ovary color: Close to 145A.         -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit production have             not been observed on plants of the new Mandevilla. -   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Mandevilla     have not been noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Mandevilla plants. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Mandevilla have been     observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from about 5° C. to about     40° C. and to be suitable for USDA Hardiness Zones 9 to 13. 

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Mandevilla plant named ‘TVMD303’ as illustrated and described. 